Electric motor and generator having amorphous core pieces being individually accommodated in a dielectric housing

Abstract

A device such as an electric motor, an electric generator, or a regenerative electric motor includes a rotor arrangement and a stator arrangement. The stator arrangement has a dielectric electromagnet housing and at least one energizable electromagnet assembly including an overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The overall amorphous metal magnetic core is made up of a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces. The dielectric electromagnet housing has core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for holding the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in positions adjacent to one another so as to form the overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The device further includes a control arrangement that is able to variably control the activation and deactivation of the electromagnet using any combination of a plurality of activation and deactivation parameters in order to control the speed, efficiency, torque, and power of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device selected from the group of devices consisting of an electric motor, an electric generator, and a regenerative electric motor, the device including a rotor arrangement, at least one stator arrangement, and a device housing for supporting the rotor arrangement and the stator arrangement in predetermined positions relative to one another and for supporting the rotor arrangement for rotation along a predetermined rotational path about a given rotor axis, the stator arrangement comprising: a) at least one energizable electromagnet assembly including an overall amorphous metal magnetic core and electric coil array which together define at least one magnetic pole piece, the overall amorphous metal magnetic core being made up of a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces; and   b) a dielectric electromagnet housing for supporting the electromagnet assembly such that the magnetic pole pieces are positioned adjacent the rotational path of the rotor arrangement, the dielectric electromagnet housing having core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for holding the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in positions adjacent to one another so as to form the overall amorphous metal magnetic core.   
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rotor arrangement includes at least one rotor magnet having north and south poles, the rotor arrangement including means for supporting the rotor magnet for rotation about a given rotor axis such that at least one of the magnet's poles is accessible along the predetermined rotational path about the given rotor axis. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the rotor magnet is a rare-earth permanent magnet. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 1 wherein any voids in the core piece openings of the dielectric electromagnet housing holding the amorphous metal core pieces are filled with a dielectric oil. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces are amorphous metal windings formed from a continuos ribbon of amorphous metal. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the continuous ribbon of amorphous metal has a substantially constant ribbon width. 
     
     
       7. A device according to claim 5 wherein the amorphous metal core pieces are oil impregnated. 
     
     
       8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a multiple phase device. 
     
     
       9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the multiple phase device is made up of a plurality of discrete devices mounted in line on a common shaft with each of the devices being fixed to one another such that the respective stator arrangements of the plurality of devices are held in positions that are rotated a predetermined angle about the given rotor axis relative to one another. 
     
     
       10. A device according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric electromagnet housing further includes coolant openings formed into the electromagnet housing for allowing a coolant fluid to be circulated through the housing. 
     
     
       11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric electromagnet housing further includes wiring raceway openings formed into the electromagnet housing for containing wires which interconnect the coil array. 
     
     
       12. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is an induction motor. 
     
     
       13. A stator arrangement for use in a device selected from the group of devices including an electric motor, an electric generator, and a regenerative electric motor, the device including said stator arrangement, a rotor arrangement, and a device housing for supporting the rotor arrangement and the stator arrangement in predetermined positions relative to one another and for supporting the rotor arrangement for rotation along a predetermined rotational path about a given rotor axis, the stator arrangement comprising: a) at least one energizable electromagnet assembly including an overall amorphous metal magnetic core and an electric coil array which together define one or more magnetic pole pieces, the overall amorphous metal magnetic core being made up of a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces; and   b) a dielectric electromagnet housing for supporting the electromagnet assembly such that the one or more magnetic pole pieces are positionable adjacent the rotational path of the rotor arrangement, the dielectric electromagnet housing having core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for holding the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in positions adjacent to but unconnected from one another so as to form the overall amorphous metal magnetic core.   
     
     
       14. A stator arrangement according to claim 13 wherein said core pieces include at least one pole piece having first and second ends and a yoke which are held within said housing openings such that the first end of said pole piece is positioned adjacent to and in confronting relationship with said yoke and the second end project out therefrom. 
     
     
       15. A stator arrangement according to claim 13 wherein said core pieces include a plurality of pole pieces each having first and second ends and a yoke, all of which are held within said housing openings such that the first end of each said pole pieces is position adjacent to and in confronting relationship with said yoke and the second end of each pole piece projects out therefrom. 
     
     
       16. A stator according to claim 15 wherein each of said pieces is an amorphous metal winding formed from a continuous ribbon of amorphous metal having opposite edges such that said opposite edges form the first and second ends of the pole piece. 
     
     
       17. A stator according to claim 16 wherein said yoke is an amorphous metal winding formed from a continuous ribbon of amorphous metal having opposite edges which define opposite yoke surfaces and wherein the first end of each of said pole pieces is held by said housing adjacent to and in confronting relationship with one of said yoke surfaces. 
     
     
       18. A stator according to claim 15 wherein at least some of the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces are made a of a stack of individual strips of amorphous metal material cut to form a predetermined shape. 
     
     
       19. An amorphous metal core for use as part of a stator arrangement which in turn can be used in a device selected from the group of devices including an electric motor, an electric generator, and a regenerative electric mower, the device including said stator arrangement, a rotor arrangement, and a device housing for supporting the rotor arrangement and the stator arrangement in predetermined positions relative to one another and for supporting the rotor arrangement for rotation along a predetermined rotational path about a given rotor access, the amorphous metal core comprising: a) a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces including one or more thereof which serve as pole pieces when combined with cooperating electric coils; and   b) a dielectric electromagnet housing for supporting the core pieces in adjacent unconnected relationship with one another such that the one or more magnetic pole pieces which are formed when combined with the cooperating electric coils are positionable adjacent the rotational path of the rotor arrangement, the dielectric electromagnet housing having core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for hold the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in said adjacent but unconnected relationship with one another.   
     
     
       20. An amorphous metal core according to claim 19 wherein said core pieces include at least one pole piece having first and second ends and a yoke which are held within said housing openings such that the first end of said pole piece is positioned adjacent to and in confronting relationship with said yoke and the second end projects out therefrom. 
     
     
       21. A method of making an overall amorphous metal magnetic core for an electromagnet assembly of a device selected from the group of devices consisting of an electric motor, an electric generator, and a regenerative electric motor, the method comprising the steps of: a) forming a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces, each having a desired core piece shape;   b) providing a dielectric magnet core housing including magnetic core piece openings that define the desired overall magnetic core shape; and   c) assembling the plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces into the core piece openings of the dielectric magnetic core housing such that the dielectric core housing holds the core pieces adjacent to one another so as to form the desired overall magnetic core shape.   
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 21 further including the step of filling any voids in the core piece openings of the magnetic core housing with a dielectric oil. 
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the step of forming a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces having a desired core piece shape includes the step of forming at least some of the amorphous metal core pieces by winding a continuous ribbon of amorphous metal material into a coil having a desired cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the step of forming a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces having a desired core piece shape includes the step of oil impregnating the amorphous metal core pieces. 
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the continuous ribbon of amorphous metal material is not cut, etched, or otherwise machined other than cutting the continuous ribbon of amorphous metal material to the desired length. 
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 21 wherein the step of forming a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces having a desired core piece shape includes the step of forming at least some of the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces by stacking individual strips of amorphous metal material cut to form a desired shape to form the core piece.